history of the mackenzies-第18部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ven　to　Allan　to　requite　Alexander's　　generosity；　　for　Alexander　　having　raised　armies　to　assist　him；　without　　commission；　he　found　in　it　a　transgression　of　the　law；　though　just　upon　the　matter；　so　to　prevent　Alexander's　prejudice；　he　presently　went　to　Holyrood　　house；　where　the　King　was；　and　being　of　a　bold　temper；　did　　truly　relate　how　his　and　Alexander's　affairs　stood；　showing　withal　that　he；　　as　being　the　occasion　of　it；　was　ready　to　suffer　what　law　would　exact　　rather　than　to　expose　so　generous　a　friend　to　any　hazard。　　King　James　was　so　taken　with　their　reciprocal　heroisms；　that　he　not　only　forgave；　but　　allowed　Alexander；　and　of　new　confirmed　Allan　in　the　lands　of　Moydart。〃　　＇Cromartie　MS。　of　the　Mackenzies。＇　　The　two　were　then　allowed　to　return　　home　unmolested。

Some　time　before　this　a　desperate　skirmish　took　place　at　a　place　called　Bealach　nam　Brog；　〃betwixt　the　heights　of　Fearann　Donuil　and　　Lochbraon〃　（Dundonald　and　Lochbroom）；　which　was　brought　about　by　　some　of　Kintail's　vassals；　instigated　by　Donald　Garbh　M'Iver；　who　　attempted　to　seize　the　Earl　of　Ross。　　The　plot　was；　however；　discovered；　　and　M'Iver　was　seized　by　the　Lord　of　the　Isles'　followers；　and　imprisoned　in　the　Castle　of　Dingwall。　　He　was　soon　released；　however；　by　　his　　undaunted　countrymen　from　Kenlochewe；　consisting　of　Macivers；　　Maclennans；　Macaulays；　and　Macleays；　who；　by　way　of　reprisal；　pursued　　and　seized　the　Earl's　relative；　Alexander　Ross　of　Balnagown；　and　carried　　him　along　with　them。　The　Earl　at　once　apprised　Lord　Lovat；　who　was　　then　His　Majesty's　Lieutenant　in　the　North；　of　the　illegal　seizure　of　　Balnagown；　and　his　lordship　promptly　dispatched　northward　two　hundred　　men；　who；　joined　by　Ross's　vassals；　the　Munroes　of　Fowlis；　and　the　　Dingwalls　of　Kildun；　pursued　and　overtook　the　western　tribes　at　Bealach　　nam　Brog；　where　they　were　resting　themselves。　　A　sanguinary　conflict　ensued；　aggravated　and　more　than　usually　exasperated　by　a　keen　and　bitter　recollection　of　ancient　feuds　and　animosities。　　The　Kenlochewe　men　seem　　to　have　been　almost　extirpated。　　The　race　of　Dingwall　were　actually　　extinguished；　one　hundred　and　forty　of　their　men　having　been　slain；　while　the　family　of　Fowlis　lost　eleven　members　of　their　house　alone；　with　many　　of　the　leading　men　of　their　clan。　＇〃Among　the　rest　ther　wer　slain　eleven　　Monroes　or　the　House　or　Foulls；　that　wer　to　succeed　one　after　another；　so　that　the　succession　of　Foulls　fell　into　a　chyld　then　lying　in　his　cradle。〃Sir　　Robert　Gordon's　History　0f　the　Earldom　of　Sutherland；　p。　36。＇

An　interesting　account　of　this　skirmish　and　the　cause　which　led　to　it　is　given　in　one　of　the　family　manuscripts。　　It　says　Euphemia　Leslie；　　Countess　Dowager　of　Ross；　lived　at　Dingwall。　　She　would　gladly　have　　married　Alexander　of　Kintail；　he　being　a　proper　handsome　young　man；　　and　she　signified　no　less　to　himself。　　He　refused　the　offer；　perhaps；　　because　　he　plighted　　his　faith　to　Macdougall's　daughter；　but　though　he　　had　not　had　done　so；　he　had　all　the　reason　imaginable　to　　reject　the　　Countess's　offer；　for　besides　that　she　was　not　able　to　add　to　his　estate；　being　but　a　life…rentrix；　she　was　a　turbulent　woman；　and　therefore；　in　the　　year　1426；　the　King　committed　her　to　prison　in　St。　Colin's　Isle　（Dingwall）；　　because　she　had　instigated　her　son；　Alexander　Earl　of　Ross；　to　rebellion。　She　invited　Kintail　to　her　Court　in　Dingwall　to　make　a　last　effort；　but　　finding　him　obstinate　she　converted　her　love　to　hatred　and　revenge；　and　　made　him　prisoner；　and　either　by　torturing　or　bribing　his　page；　he　　procured　the　golden　ring　which　was　the　token　between　Mackenzie　and　　Macaulay；　the　governor　of　Ellandonnan；　who　had　strict　orders　not　to　quit　　the　castle　or　suffer　any　one　to　enter　it　until　he　sent　him　that　token。

The　　Countess　sent　a　gentleman　to　Ellandonnan　with　the　ring；　who；　by　her　　instructions；　informed　Macaulay　that　his　master　was；　or　shortly　would　be；　married　to　the　Countess　of　Ross；　desiring　the　Governor　to　repair　to　his　　master　and　to　leave。　the　stronghold　with　him。　　Macaulay　seeing　and　　receiving　the　ring　believed　the　story；　and　gave　up　the　castle；　but　in　a　few　　days　he　discovered　his　mistake　and　found　that　his　chief　was　a　prisoner　　instead　of　being　a　bridegroom。　　He　went　straight　to　Dingwall；　and　finding　an　opportunity　to　communicate　with　Mackenzie；　the　latter　made　　allegorical　remarks　by　which　Macaulay　understood　that　nothing　would　　secure　his　release　but　the　apprehension　of　Ross　of　Balnagown；　who　was　　grand　uncle；　or　grand　uncle's　son　to　the　Countess。　　Macaulay　returned　to　　Kintail；　made　up　a　company　of　the　〃prettiest　fellows〃　he　could　find　of　Mackenzie's　family；　and　went　back　with　them　to　Easter　Ross；　and　in　the　　morning　apprehended　Balnagown　in　a　little　arbour　near　the　house；　in　a　　little　wood　to　which　he　usually　resorted　for　an　airing；　and；　mounting　him　on　horseback；　carried　him　westward　among　the　hills。　Balnagown's　friends　　were　soon　in　pursuit；　but　fearing　capture；　Macaulay　sent　Balnagown　away　　under　guard；　resolving　to　fight　and　detain　the　pursuers　at　Bealach　nam　　Brog；　as　already　described；　until　Balnagown　was　safely　out　of　their　reach。

After　his　success　here　Macaulay　went　to　Kintail；　and　at　Glenluing；　five　　miles　from　Ellandonnan；　he　overtook　thirty　men；　sent　by　the　Countess；　　with　meal　and　other　provisions　for　the　garrison；　and　the　spot；　where　they　seized　them　is　to　this　day　called　Innis　nam　Balg。　　Macaulay　secured　them；　and　placed　his　men　in　their　upper　garments　and　plaids；　who　took　the　sacks　of　meal　on　their　backs；　and　went　straight　with　them　to　the　garrison；　whose　　impoverished　condition　induced　　the　Governor　to　admit　them　without　any　　enquiry；　not　doubting　but　they　were　his　own　friends。　　Once　inside　they　　threw　down　their　burdens；　drew　their　weapons　from　under　their　plaids；　seized　the　new　Governor　and　all　his　men　and　kept　them　in　captivity　until　　Mackenzie　was　afterwards　exchanged　for　the　Governor　and　Balnagown。　　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇

There　has　been　considerable　difference　of　opinion　as　to　the　date　of　　this　encounter；　but　it　is　finally　set　at　rest　by　the　discovery　of　a　positive　　date　in　the　Fowlis　papers；　where　it　is　said　that　〃George；　the　fourth　Laird；　　and　his　son；　begotton　on　Balnagown's　daughter；　were　killed　at　the　conflict　　of　Beallach　na　Brog；　in　the　year　1452；　and　Dingwall　of　Kildun；　with　　several　of　their　friends　and　followers；　in　taking　back　the　Earl　of　Ross's　second　son　from　Clan　Iver；　Clan　Tarlich　or　Maclennans；　and　Clan　Leod。〃　　＇The　Earl　of　Cromarty　gives　a　different　version；　and　says　that　the　battle　or　　skirmish　took　place　in　the　year　immediately　after　the　Battle　of　Harlaw。

In　　this　he　is　manifestly　in　error。　　The　Highlanders；　to　defend　themselves　from　　the　arrows　of　their　enemies；　with　their　belts　tied　their　shoes　on　their　　breasts；　hence　the　name　〃Bealach　nam　Brog；〃　or　the　Pass　of　the　Shoes。＇　　　The　Balnagown　of　that　date　was　not　the　Earl　of　Ross's　son；　but　a　near　　relative。

Angus　Og；　after　many　sanguinary　conflicts　with　his　father；　finally　overthrew　him　at　the　battle　of　the　Bloody　Bay；　between　Tobermory　and　Ardnamurchan；　obtained　possession　of　all　the　extensive　territories　of　his　clan；　and　was　recognised　as　its　legitimate　head。　　He　then　determined　to　　punish　Mackenzie　for　having　taken　his　father's　part　at　Court；　and　　otherwise；　during　the　rebellion；　and　swore　that　he　would　recover　from　him　the　great　possessions　which　originally　belonged　to　his　predecessors；　the　　Lords　of　the　Isles；　but　now　secured　by　Royal　Charter　to　the　Baron　of　　Kintail。　　With　this　object　he　decided　to　attack　him；　and　marched　to　　Inverness；　where　he　expected　to　meet　the　now　aged　Mackenzie　returning　　from　attendance　at　Court。　　Angus；　however；　missed　his　object；　and　instead　of　killing　Mackenzie；　he　was　himself　assassinated　by　his　harper；　an　　Irishman。　This　tragic；　but　well…merited；　close　to　such　a　violent　and　　turbulent　career；　is　recorded　in　the　Red　Book　of　Clan　Ranald　in　the　　following　terms：〃Donald；　the　son　of　Angus　that　was　killed　at　Inverness　by　his　own　harper；　son　of　John　of　the　Isles；　son　of　Alexander；　son　of　Donald；　son　of　John；　son　of　Angus　Og；〃　an　event　which　must　have　occurred　about　1485。

Alexander　was　the　first　of　the　family　who　lived　on　the　island　In　Loch　Kinellan；　while　at　the　same　time　he　had　Brahan　as　a　〃maines；〃　or　　farm；　both　of　which　his　successor　for　a　time　held　from　the　King　at　a　yearly　　rent；　until　Kenneth　feued　Brahan；　and　Colin；　his　son；　feued　Kinellan。

The　　Earl　of　Sutherland　had　been　on　friendly　terms　with　Mackenzie；　and　　appointed　him　as　his　deputy　in　the　management　of　the　Earldom　of　Ross；　　which　devolved　on　him　after　the　forfeiture。　　On　one　occasion；　the　Earl　of　Sutherland　being　in　the　south　at　Court；　the　Strathnaver　men　and　the　men　　of　the　Braes　of　Caithness　took　advantage　of　his　absence　and　invaded　　Sutherland。　　An　account　of　their　conduct　soon　spread　abroad；　and　reached　　the　ears　of　the　Chief　of　Kintail；　who　at　once　with　a　party　of　six　hundred　men；　passed　into　Sutherland；　where；　the　Earl's　followers　having　joined　　him；　he　defeated　the　invaders；　killed　a　large　number　of　them；　forced　the　　remainder　to　sue　for　peace；　and　compelled　them　to　give　substantial　　security　for　their　peaceful　behaviour　in　future。

Kintail　was　now　a　very　old　man。　　His　prudence　and　sagacity　well　repaid　the　judicious　patronage　of